Naomi Osaka brought more than her tennis skills to Arthur Ashe Stadium for her first-round match at the 2026 U.S. Open. The four-time Grand Slam champion used her entrance look to honor NBA legend Allen Iverson and his lasting influence on sports fashion.
Osaka arrived in a custom Who Decides War outfit styled by Law Roach. The dramatic look combined high fashion, sports history and a clear nod to Iverson’s signature style.
The statement came on August 31, as Osaka prepared to face Anastasia Zakharova in the opening round. She later won the match in straight sets, giving her fashion moment an even stronger finish.
Naomi Osaka Pays Tribute To Allen Iverson At The US Open
Osaka’s custom entrance outfit was designed by Ev Bravado and Téla D’Amore of Who Decides War. It featured a sweeping white tulle skirt paired with a gray terry hooded gown.
The gown was covered with sewn-in newspaper clippings that highlighted important moments from Osaka’s career. The result was dramatic and personal, turning her walk into something that felt like part fashion show and part career tribute.
According to Vogue, the designers created the custom outfit in only 30 hours. The design also drew inspiration from a Fall 2020 Off-White look by the late Virgil Abloh, who had mentored Bravado and D’Amore.
Allen Iverson Inspired Naomi Osaka’s US Open Style
Underneath the oversized entrance look, Osaka wore a black Nike tennis dress with red details. She added red-and-black arm sleeves and a matching headband.
Her cornrow hairstyle helped complete the tribute to Iverson, whose braided hair, basketball style and influence on NBA fashion became closely connected to his public image.
After her victory, Osaka explained why she chose Iverson as the inspiration for the outfit.
“It’s my, I guess, my tribute to Iverson. I really like him a lot,” Osaka told reporters.
For Osaka, the tribute goes beyond his appearance. She sees Iverson as someone who changed how athletes could express themselves through clothing.
Naomi Osaka Calls Allen Iverson A Fashion Trailblazer
Osaka also spoke about Iverson’s wider impact on basketball culture and fashion. She pointed to the way he helped change the image of NBA players away from the traditional expectations placed on athletes.
“He’s a trailblazer. I think he’s also someone that I look up to a lot, because he’s done a lot in fashion, whether it’s on purpose or not,” Osaka said.
She added that Iverson had “shifted the way that NBA players dress.” That influence can still be seen in the way athletes use fashion to show personality, identity and cultural connections.
Osaka’s choice therefore felt fitting. Like Iverson, she has increasingly used her appearances to challenge the idea that athletes should only be judged by what happens during competition.
Law Roach And Who Decides War Create Osaka’s Bold Look
The outfit also continued Osaka’s growing relationship with stylist Law Roach. Known for creating major fashion moments with celebrities and athletes, Roach helped turn Osaka’s entrance into one of the standout style moments of the tournament so far.
Who Decides War brought its own strong visual language to the look. The newspaper-covered gown connected Osaka’s past achievements with her present moment while the white tulle added movement and drama.
The outfit also showed how carefully Osaka’s recent tennis fashion has been planned. Rather than treating her clothes as an afterthought, she has made her tournament appearances part of her overall public image.
Naomi Osaka Continues Her Fashion Run At The 2026 US Open
The Allen Iverson tribute follows several eye-catching fashion moments from Osaka ahead of her U.S. Open campaign. During practice sessions, she has already appeared in looks from brands including Dolce & Gabbana, De La Vali and Bottega Veneta.
She has also used statement shoes, tennis-inspired accessories and polished beauty looks to bring more attention to her time away from the court.
Now, her first-round entrance has pushed that approach even further. Osaka is showing that a tennis tournament can also be a place for athletes to tell stories through fashion.
Naomi Osaka Combines Tennis And Fashion In New York
At 28, Osaka continues to build an image that reaches well beyond tennis. Her influence now sits at the meeting point of sport, fashion and popular culture.
Her latest U.S. Open look made that clear. By honoring Allen Iverson, Osaka celebrated an athlete who helped reshape sports style while putting her own spin on his influence.
Most importantly, the fashion moment did not distract from her performance. Osaka defeated Zakharova in straight sets, proving that she could make a strong statement before the match and back it up once play began.
With more matches ahead at the 2026 U.S. Open, attention will now turn to what Osaka wears next. If her first-round entrance is any indication, her tournament wardrobe may be almost as closely watched as her tennis.
